Lecompton ? Lecompton Fire & Rescue crews were able to free a horse trapped up to its neck in a muddy pond Monday in northwest Douglas County.

The horse, a mare about 6 years old, wandered into the pond in the 500 section of North 1800 Road. The pond was being excavated and was primarily mud.

The mare had been stuck for about four hours when the rescue began about 6:40 p.m. A neighbor assisted by using a Bobcat to clear away mud. Then several volunteer firefighters got into the mud and dug out the horse by hand. She was rescued by 7:30 p.m.

“She was pretty wobbly for about 20 minutes afterward,” said Will Shockley, assistant chief of Lecompton Fire & Rescue.

Shockley said the horse appeared to have sustained no injuries in the incident.

“She’s a happy camper,” he said. “She’s in the stall, eating and relaxing.”